xanafandomcom-20200214-history
Teddy Daniels
I'd rather be in some dark hollow The first thing anyone ought to notice about Teddy is that he's a cop. A US marshal, to be exact, but he walks and talks like someone who's used to carrying a badge, a gun, and a whole lot of authority. The second thing is that he's from the greater Boston area. Yes, that is how we're pronouncing our a's and o's these days, and don't expect to hear from those terminal r's ever again. It's still 1954 where Teddy comes from, so you'll almost always find him in a tan suit and tie -- a hideous salmon and green floral Hawaiian thing you can only hope somebody got him as a joke -- along with a fedora and a tan overcoat that is perhaps a few sizes too large. This may just be to make him look more intimidating, as if he needs it (he doesn't). He's a hard-looking guy, well-built and always tense. It's rare to find him sitting still; he's always doing something, and he rarely looks pleased with anything, but he may just be yanking your chain about that get-off-his-goddamn-lawn thing. Or not. Background Teddy is a pretty classic noir detective: stoic, hard-boiled, with a dry sense of humor and a low tolerance for bullshit. He's the kind of guy who thinks that talking about your problems is for people too weak to handle them, that backing down is for cowards, and that letting go means you weren't dedicated enough in the first place. Despite being pretty rough around the edges, he has an old-fashioned sense of propriety that says men should be polite to women and keep their foul mouths and bad habits to themselves. This sometimes manifests in that kind of culturally-ingrained misogyny that masquerades as chivalry, but he actually respects women enough that in an environment that isn't...the fifties, he is likely to improve on that front. He also has a sentimental streak a mile wide for women and kids. This usually extends to his partners and brothers at arms, to whom he's unfailingly loyal once they've earned his respect. He can be very alpha-male, the take-charge type, but he doesn't feel the need to run everything or boss everyone around so much as control the things he feels fall under his jurisdiction. Teddy believes strongly in right and wrong and the providence of the law to separate the two. His world is very black and white, starkly divided into good guys and bad guys. The good people he'll do anything to protect, but the bad ones he won't raise a finger to so much as ease their suffering, let alone help them. So when he and his partner play good cop/bad cop, Teddy is the bad cop. He has a very difficult time sympathizing with -- or even understanding -- people who commit violent crimes, the only exceptions being women who kill their abusers and other reactions he considers deserved. For the rest, he believes in punishment more so than rehabilitation. Given a reason, he's been known to actively antagonize people he considers bad guys, at times regardless of their ability to defend themselves, though there are strict limits to these vengeful impulses. It's very important to him to maintain his professional integrity and keep on the moral high ground; he has to be the good guy so he can tell who the bad guys are. Anyone exposed to as much violence as Teddy has been in his life would have some issues. Most of his revolve around the fact that his wife and the love of his life, Dolores, died several years ago. Teddy is plagued by survivor's guilt and severe depression. He hides it well, to the point that it's pretty hard to see unless you've been there, but in book canon the head psychiatrist at Ashecliffe tells him, at the rate he's going, it isn't a matter of if he'll kill himself so much as when. He has a decent chance at recovery, but he knows if he doesn't start making connections with people and finding something to live for again, it really is only a matter of time. Right now, well, he's trying. Quick History Teddy was born in 1920 in Hull, Massachusetts, a tenth-generation Irish-American and the son of a fisherman. His father lost his boat in the Depression and worked on other boats or unloading freight on the docks for the rest of his life. Teddy was never able to stomach the sea himself, not because of the motion so much as the sheer expanse of water. As a child he was afraid it would swallow him up, and to this day that fear makes him violently seasick anytime he goes beyond the view of land. As such, he was never quite able to connect with his sea-obsessed father. The man was kind, but he buried himself in his work after losing his boat and died at sea when Teddy was eighteen. Like most men 18-25 in the early 1940s, Teddy served in World War II. He enlisted in 1941, and after basic training the army sent him to school to become a decoder for Army Intelligence. While he was there, Teddy met and fell hopelessly in love with a Bostonian girl named Dolores Chanal. He did well at Army Intelligence, since he'd always had a knack for puzzles, but when one mistake cost half a battalion their lives, Teddy was transferred to the front lines and separated from Dolores. He became a member of the 45th Infantry Division, 157th Infantry Regiment, rifle company I, which means he came into the war through Italy and proceeded through southern France into Germany, occupying Munich until V-J Day, after which he was honorably discharged. The 157th Infantry (C, I, and companies specifically) is best known for liberating the concentration camp at Dachau, which was one of the first times US troops were confronted with the horrors of the Holocaust. Teddy saw a lot of things there that would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life, including watching one of the SS officers in charge of Dachau die over the course of a good twenty minutes after a botched suicide attempt. He also participated in the Dachau massacre, in which US troops allegedly executed SS officers after they had surrendered. Historically, this is a pretty fuzzy event; eyewitness accounts vary drastically as to whether a dozen or five hundred SS officers were killed and whether or not they had surrendered. But at the very least, Teddy believes he had a hand in the execution of several hundred Dachau guards. Whether he executed SS officers there or not, Dachau left Teddy with too many dead bodies on his hands and a lingering sense that they should have saved more lives than they did. He came back to Dolores in a temporary glow, and they got married right off the bat, but that glow faded fast. All that violence had changed him. After taking a job with the US marshals, Teddy's professional life took off; he became a minor legend in law enforcement. At home, he became an alcoholic and a workaholic, burying his wartime traumas. His relationship with Dolores slowly fell apart as she became increasingly desperate for his companionship and he continued to pull away from her. A few years ago, there was a fire at their apartment on Buttonwood. Dolores died. Teddy misses her beyond words, but he's coping, or trying to. He doesn't drink anymore. He keeps busy. Sometimes he tries to have real relationships again, even platonic ones, but that hasn't gone too well so far. Lately he's been on an island called Shutter, investigating the disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solando from Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Teddy had reason to believe Ashecliffe was also the home of Andrew Laeddis, a pyromaniac janitor in Teddy's former apartment building who was suspected of setting the fire that killed his wife. Teddy had been chasing the man for two years and was looking forward to getting some answers. Unfortunately, Xanadu interrupted that investigation, snatching up Teddy and quite possibly Solando and Laeddis along with him. Teddy is still looking for both of them, but considering the chances of finding either in a nexus of infinite possibilities, he's also making use of his time investigating the nexus itself. in a small room with you on my mind Of course, that isn't everything. If you've seen or read his canon, you already know that. If you haven't, don't plan to, and don't mind being utterly spoiled, more information can be found here, but please do not click that unless you want to ruin the movie and book for yourself. Nothing but spoilers lie that way. Or this way, in his giant meme. to be at home alone *'Dolores Chanal:' *'Chuck Aule:' just knowing that you're gone xanadu relationships would cause me to lose my mind Teddy and Shutter Island are copyright Dennis Lehane, Leonardo DiCaprio's face belongs to Scorsese himself, and the lyrics to "Dark Hollow" are copyright Bill Browning. so blow your whistle freight train *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO8mnLz5Cds Judy Garland]' ➟ Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart' ✯ dear when you smiled at me I heard a melody it haunted me from the start something inside of me started a symphony zing! went the strings of my heart 'twas like a breath of spring I heard a robin sing about a nest set apart all nature seemed to be in perfect harmony zing! went the strings of my heart. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBxVfQTuvI Dinah Washington]' ➟ What A Difference a Day Makes' ✯ what a difference a day makes twenty-four little hours brought the sun and the flowers where there used to be rain my yesterday was blue dear today I'm part of you dear my lonely nights are through dear since you said you were mine. *'Bing Crosby ➟ Dolores' ✯ just imagine eyes like moonrise a voice like music lips like wine what a break if I could make dolores mine all mine I would die to be with my dolores aye-aye-aye dolores I was made to serenade dolores chorus after chorus.. *'William Cool White ➟ Buffalo Gals' ✯ buffalo gals won't you come out tonight come out tonight come out tonight buffalo gals won't you come out tonight and dance by the light of the moon. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzjDJQrBusg Kay Starr]' ➟ Wheel of Fortune' ✯ the wheel of fortune goes spinning around will the arrow point my way will this be my day oh wheel of fortune I'm hoping somehow if you ever smile on me please let it be now. *'Over the Counter Jug Band ➟ Fever // Sixteen Tons' ✯ romeo loved juliet juliet she felt the same when he put his arms around her he said julie baby you're my flame thou givest fever when we toucheth fever with thy flaming youth fever i'm on fire fever yea i burn forsooth // if you see him coming better step aside a lotta men didn't and a lotta men died he's got one fist of iron the other of steel and if the right one don't get you then the left one will. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKT1P7x_Pzo Lead Belly]' ➟ Where Did You Sleep Last Night (cover)' ✯ my girl my girl don't lie to me tell me where did you sleep last night in the pines in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through my girl my girl where will you go I'm going where the cold wind blows in the pines in the pines where the sun don't ever shine I would shiver the whole night through. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zviNCAMJr68 Bing Crosby]' ➟ You Are My Sunshine' ✯ the other night dear as I lay sleeping I dreamed I held you in my arms when I awoke dear I was mistaken and I hung my head and I cried you are my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are grey you'll never know dear how much I loved you please don't take my sunshine away. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ8iJVm-1lc Anita O'Day]' ➟ Ain't Misbehavin'' ✯ no one to walk with all by myself no one to talk with but I'm happy on the shelf ain't misbehavin' saving my love for you I don't stay out late don't care to go I'm home about eight just me and my radio ain't misbehavin' saving my love for you. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEJ5MbrVJjU Dinah Washington]' ➟ This Bitter Earth / On the Nature of Daylight' ✯ lord this bitter earth can be so cold today you're young too soon you're old but while a voice within me cries I'm sure someone may answer my call and this bitter earth may not be so bitter after all. *'Over the Counter Jug Band ➟ Dark Hollow' ✯ I'd rather be in some dark hollow where the sun don't ever shine than to be at home alone just knowing that you're gone would cause me to lose my mind so blow your whistle freight train carry me far on down the track I'm going away I'm leaving today I'm going but I ain't coming back. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcunREYzNY Vera Lynn]' ➟ We'll Meet Again' ✯ we'll meet again don't know where don't know when but I know we'll meet again some sunny day keep smiling through just like you always do 'til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away. carry me far on down the tracks *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccKJDY7MSdk The Cranberries]' ➟ No Need to Argue' ✯ there's no need to argue anymore I gave all I could but it left me so sore and the thing that makes me mad is the one thing that I had I knew I knew I'd lose you you'll always be special to me to me and I remember all the things we once shared watching tv movies on the living room armchair but they say it will work out fine was it all a waste of time cause I knew I knew I'd lose you. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX_mcJEEkAM October Project]' ➟ Deep as You Go' ✯ (spoiler-ish) deep as you go I'll follow deep as the water goes all the world is hollow and dry but you and I go down you and I go down don't save me don't lose me don't wake me now you let me you release me let me drown take me down. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S_R13jV11Q VAST]' ➟ Touched' ✯ (spoiler-ish) the razors and the dying roses plead i don't leave you alone demigods and hungry ghosts and god god knows I'm not at home I'll never find someone quite like you again I'll never love someone quite the way that I love you. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coEOuiuBO-Y October Project]' ➟ Bury My Lovely' ✯ (spoiler-ish) cover the mirror hide in your dreams forget what they told you forget what it means a picture worth a thousand lies the memory and the mirror nothing but what came before nothing but a closing door. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eam9v9FsLw4 Javier Navarrete]' ➟ Long, Long Time Ago' ✯ instrumental. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyDpTcONT5Q Carter Burwell]' ➟ Prologue' ✯ instrumental. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baQpxuhSdnw Morton Feldman]' ➟ Rothko Chapel' ✯ instrumental. *[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifbp3aux0_c VAST]' ➟ Lady of Dreams' ✯ instrumental. Category:Characters Category:Living